Thread cutter and clamp for weft replenishing looms



THREAD CUTTER AND CLAMP FOR WEFI REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Jan; Q5. 1943 INVg H/nuts Patented Sept. 21, 1943 ia tzasss, THREAD CUTTERAND CLAMP-l REQLENISHINGLOOMS 1 Joseph Miller; Worcester, iassignor to I Crompton. &Know1es Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, aicorporation of Massachusetts AppIica-ti nJ-anuary 23, 1943, SeriaLNo; iv-335a This invention relates to improvements inthread cutters and clamps for weft replenish; ing looms and it is the general obfiect of the i" vention to' provide an improved mechanism-of this type which will hold the threadsecurely' after cutting incident to a" weft replenishing pperat-ion.

At the time of bobbin transfer in a weftrei plenishing loom a thread extends from"the'selvage to'the shuttle under the magazine and tof the depleted bobbin which is expelled from'the shuttle during a' transferring operation; Provision must be made to cut this thread and-clamp it so that-it will not be drawn into the warp the other cutter for the purpose of holdi ng the cutting edges 'close" to each other throughout the cutting operati'on-i-- 'With these and other objectsfin view which will-"appear as the des'cr iption proceeds; myinvention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts:- hereinafter de'scr ibedc and set ln 'the accompanying drawing, venient embodiment of myiinvennen is setforth,

Fig. 1 is 'a-side'elevation ofa weft replenishing mechanism having my improved cutter and olampflapplied theretm ig; 2 1s -a--d-iagrammatic"plan fview lookingim shed when the shuttle is nextpi'cked." Cutters? the direction of arrow 2, Fig.1, 1

of the type to 'which'my invention more 'particu' Fig. 3 is an-fenlargedverti'cal sectionon line larly relates cut the thread between the shuttle" 3-3 o'fFig. 1,- box and'the selvage and release thethreadex Fig. i is a"rear elevation of the cutter and tending'tolthe bobbin so that it can "be 'moved i clampon'anenlargedscale looking in the direc out of the shuttle box by the descending depleted tion of arrow-4; Fig; 1," l

bobbin. The thread extending to the selvage,

however, must be held out of the path of the shuttle until it can be severed by the temple out: ter on a later pick. It is an important Jobjectjof my present invention to provide an improvedif clampsso constructed as to bend as well as clamp the thread at a plurality of points 'forthepur-j pose of holding the thread securelyas it awaits cutting at the selvage.

' Clamping plates have been used heretofore in connection with thread cutters for the purpose of forcing the cut thread against a surface of the f cutter blade but it has been foundinlpractice l that with certain types of yarns this form '.of

clamp does not hold the thread tightly enoughto prevent it from slipping out of the clamp; {It

is another object of my invention to promean, auxiliary ,clamp additional to the primary clamp and construct both clamps sothatgthey haye L clamping surf-aces transverse to the main clamp:

to mount the primary clamp-so that it" canfiyieltl' I to and thuspermit a close fit with the transverse surfaces. vof the auxiliary clamp. The yielding is permitted (by a spring which exertsitsforce perpendicular to the force exerted by the spring,

, 1 -1; Fig. 4; and;

shown a loom frame 13 -"-o'n'- I a "stud [5 carried by asta-nd j E bolted Figs, 5 am G are diagram ati'c' views snowing the cutter and clamp in difirentfposi-tionsr Fig. '7- is a detail horizontal section-endure Fig 8"is an enlarged verticahse'ction on line 88 of 5 showing the manner which the clamp'holds thesevered tlireadfl i fieferring 'pajrticularly 'toFigsp'i and 2,-"1 have magazineMpreferably I h l and having' a rocking sh-a H to which is s'e cured; 'an'arm' H, A- link ra'eescensng "from the armv is connected to, meter-M1 mo" hi Wise securedto the magazi-rieframe. I t carries Y a: stud l I f'on which is-ndountd' ter andclainp carrier arm H3 having a rearfinger s Q-to- 'abuta shoulder ,zt-i the lever M? h forward finger 2| of arm t8freceives-the'forward pocket 2'3 f'iormed in the never- The" spring and stop shoulder serve normally to hold the parts'inthe positionsh'own in Fig lbut perm mo vernentw offtfne arm; l8 fforwardly,{ or the right as viewed in Fig. l, relatively to the lever M.

' A yielding lock designated "generally at L in cludes a spring I zfl 'vvhich tends "to lipid the shaft I I and iZin either of the two "extreme positions'to whichtheyjmove 'duringa replenishing operation: A rod 25 passes through"a -swive'l bearing 25 pivotedat 21 on thestand' l 5; andfhav c ing top and'bottom collars28 and29grespectivel'y'; A spring fififb etween the S 2 el bear'ing 2t andithe v bottom collar'ZB eXerts'a ormaldownward'force 1 on 'therod 25' to holdit' asshown in Fig. "'11 which urges. the main clamp and movable cutt ter toward the stationary cutter, hence these tWoI springs .do not interfere with each other.

It is a. still further object .of my invention to mount one of the cutters for a floating motion during movement of the other cutter andpro vide the floating cutterwith an end bent toward The lay 32 is provided with a shuttle box 33 for a shuttle S which, as shown in Fig. 2, has a bobbin 34 therein from which thread T extends inwardly to the selvage of the fabric F which is held spread by a temple 35 having the usual temple cutter 35. The loom is provided with the usual transfer mechanism not shown for moving a reserve bobbin from the magazine into the depleted shuttle and at the same time driving the depleted shuttle 34 out of the shuttle. V

The matter thus far described operates in the usual manner at the time of a replenishing operation. The link |3 is normally down so that the carrier arm I 8 and the cutter and clamp mechanism thereon designated at C are in forward position. When a replenishing operation occurs, arm |2 rises and causes link 3 to rock lever M in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 around stud for the purpose of .moving the mechanism C rearwardly toward the lay, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. During-this rearward movement the top collar'28 prevents downward motion of the lowerend of rod 25 and since the studs 5 and 21 are offset horizontally there is a differential motion between the structure C and the bottom of the rod 25. As the lay nears its forward position it moves the cutter and clamp forwardly to reset the parts to their normal position, and at som subsequent forward beat of the lay the temple cutter 36 will cut the thread T at the selvage.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and for further description reference may be had to prior Patents Nos. 1,261,417; 1,610,562 and 1,633,648.

In carrying my present invention into effect, I construct the cutter and clamp C substantially as shown in Figs. 3 to 8. The lower part of arm I8 is provided with a rearwardly extending foot 40 undercut as at 4| to receive a stationary cutter blade 42 having a lowercutting edge 43. As shown in Fig. 7' foot 40 has projecting laterally therefrom a pin 44 which enters a hole 45 in blade 42 and the forward end of the blade is curved at 46 away from foot 40. A stud 41 is threaded into foot 40 and held by lock nut 48 and passes through blade 42. The latter is floated on pin 44 and stud 41 and is not bolted directly to foot 40 as formerly. Pivoted on the stud 41 is a movable cutter blade 50 having an upwardly facing preferably straight cutting edge 5| to cooperate with edge 43. The forward end of the movable cutter is extended to provide an arm 52 carrying a stud 53 connected pivotally to the lower end of the rod 25.

A primary clamp plate 55 is pivotally mounted on the stud 41 and is forced toward the stationary cutter blade 42 by an arched .leaf spring 56 held under the head 51 of stud 41. The primary clamp has an upstanding horn 58 which is offset as shownin Fig. 4. to pass upwardly in front ofastop pin 59 carried by foot 40. A tension spring 60 is connected to the primary clamp and also to a pin 6| fixed to the foot 40 and tends to move the born 58 toward the stop 59 but permits the clamp 55 to turnin a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6.

Heretofore th clamp 55 has been faced directly against cutter blade50, but I provide an auxiliary clamp 65 pivoted on the' stud 41 and extending along the pivoted cutter blade between the latter and clamp plate 55. This auxiliary clamp '65 is held in position by the stud 41 and 53 and moves 'angularly with" the cutter blade 50. A foot projects laterally from clamp under the primary clamp and has an upwardly facing surface 1| to engage the downwardly facing surface 12 of clamp plate 55. The primary clamp is provided with a lug fixed thereto and extending over the, auxiliary clamp, and the latter has an upper edge 11 to engage th lower surface 18 of the lug 15 when surfaces 1| and 12 engage each other.

When the mechanism C is in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the cutter blade 50 and clamp 65 are in their raised position and surfaces 1| and 11 are close to surfaces 12 and 18, respectively. Rod exerts a downward force on stud 53 and holds horn 58 spaced slightly in front of pin 59. When the cutter C moves rearwardly as already described the rod 25 will cause angular movement of the blade 50 and the auxiliary clamp 65 relatively to blade 52 and clamp 55 to the position shown in Fig. 6. Pin 59 errgages horn 58 during this operation and p events clamp 55 from following clamp 65. The cutter isnow open with the rear part of the movable jaw extending downwardly at an angle to form a notch for the reception of the thread T as the lay advances. Near the end of the forward movement of the lay the foot is moved forwardly and the parts are returned to the position shown in Fig. 5 by a motion which'causes the blade and auxiliary clamp to turn in a clockwise direction relatively to the foot 40 as viewed in Fig. 6, thereby cutting the thread due to the interaction of edges 43 and 5|.

During the closing of the cutter that part of the thread which extends between the cutter blades and theselvage of the fabric will be bent to the general position shown in Fig. 8. As clamp '65 rises it engages the thread and pushes it against clamp 55. Cutting edge 5| then forces the thread against edg 43 and cuts it. As the clamp 65 continues to rise it lifts the cut end of the thread and holds it between the two clamps. Near the end of the resetting operation surfaces 1| and 11 force the thread against surfaces 12 and 18, respectively, to produce bends in the thread, as shown in Fig. 8.

'To insure tight holding of the thread, rod 25 pushes down sufiiciently to turn clamp slightly, thereby moving horn 58'forwardly a .slight distance from stop pin 59. The mechanism 0 is now fully reset as shown inFig. 5, and the thread extends from the 'selvage between the surfaces 1| and 12, around the left lower corner of the primary clamp plate 55 as viewed in Fig. 8, upwardly between the primary and secondary clamps, andthen to the left between surfaces 11 and 18 toward the stationary blade 42.

The leaf spring 55 holds the cutter and clamping parts in close engagement with each other throughout the openingand closing operations. The clamping of the thread is therefore effected partly by the leaf spring which creates frictional contact between the vertical surfaces of the pri mary and secondary clamps,.and partly by the spring which exerts'pressure on the thread between the horizontal clamping surfaces.

The thread will eventually be cut at the temple, but will remain in the clamp as shown in Fig. 8 until the next replenishing operation of the loom, at which time opening of the cutter which accompanies'rearward movement of the mechanism C will release the thread.

As the blade 50 swings from open to closed po sition that part of it to the right of stud 41 as viewed in Fig. '1 will-slide along the offset or curved part '45 of blade 42 and cause edge 43 to ingadjacent'vertical? surfaces and also adjacent horizontal surfaces, .meanssupported by the car remain in close .cuttingcontact with the ,mov ingcutter; The ability of blade 42 w float as already described togethe-r'with the action of curved end t8 insures proper cutting of the thread wherever it may be located along the cutting edges. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple means by which the thread extending from theselvage to the thread cutter may be clamped effectively between primaryand secondary, clampswhich erve to exert holding forceson the thread due to the vertical surfaces of the two clamps and also due to the hori zont'al' described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the. spirit and scope of the inventicn andI do not wish to be limited tothe de-- tails herein disclosed,.but what I claim is:

1.; Inv a thread clampfor a weft replenishing loom thread cutting mechanism having acarrier provided with a stationary and a movable cutter, a primary clamp on that side of the movable cutter opposite the stationary cutter, a second- 1 ary clamp moving with the movable cutter and located between the latter and the primary clamp, each clamp having a vertical and a hori-- zontal surface for engagement with similarfsurfaces on the other clamp, and means ,to-move the movable cutter to cut the weft and also cause the vertical surfaces of said clamps to slide relatively to each other to cause the horizontal surfaces of said clamps to approach each other and produce a bend in the thread extending from the movable cutter and between said clamps.

2. In a thread clamp for a weft replenishing loom thread cutter having a carrier provided with a stationary and a movable cutter blade, a primary clamp mounted on the carrier and having a vertical and a horizontal thread engaging surface, an auxiliary clamp moving with the movable cutter blade and having a vertical and a horizontal surface to engage the corresponding surfaces of the primary clamp, resilient means tending to force said clamps toward the movable cutter blade, and means to actuate the movable cutter blade to cut the thread and simultaneously move the auxiliary clamp relatively to the primary clamp to move the horizontal surfaces of the clamps relatively to and toward each a spring to hold said primary clamp against said stop, an auxiliary clamp between the primary clamp and the pivoted cutter, said clamps hav- *froinsaid stop.

rier to force the prin' rary clamp' against the .a'ux

il-iary clamp, andimeans to move the pivoted.cutter-to cuttheathread and also move the auxiliary: clamp to cause the horizontal surface of the-auxiliary clamp to. exert a force on the hori-.

zontal Sll'rfaCfliOf th'e primaryqclamp and movethe latter against the action of said springand. away-from" said stop,lthe thread extending from" the pivoted cutter being. clamped between the. and horizontal surfaces of said.

adjacent vertical clamps} LII-1 a thread clampiforia weft replenishing loom thread 'cuttingmechanism having a carrier I provided with a stationary :and a IllOVQJblB'Clltter, and a primary clamp located on that side of the pivoted cutterfloppositeithe stationary cut-s te'r, an auxiliary clamp: between the primary. clam'pJ-and the pivoted-cutter, means to mount bothof said clamps for pivotal movement rela-.

tively. to the carrier, a stop for the'primary clamp, resilient means holding the primary clamp having other surfaces-for mutual engagement which aretransverseiof the planes in which said clamps-move pivotally, and means tomove the transverse surface of the auxiliary clamp against the thread extending between said clamps and force the thread :againstthe transverse surface of the primary clamp suiiiciently to move the late ter-against the action of said resilient means away '5.In a thread? clamp mechanism of aweft replenishing loom having a -car-rier, a'iprimaryclamp pivotally mounted on said carrier, a stop on the carrier for said primaryclamp, resilient means supported bythe carrier to I hold said primary clampagainst said stop, an auxi-li'ary clamp pivotally mounted on the *carrier,- said clamps having primary thread engaging surfaces substantially parallel to the planesin which the clamps move pivotally with respect to the-carrier, resilient means to hold clamp and cause the latter to move away from said stop against the action of said resilient.

means, the latter assisting said secondary surfaces to clamp the thread.

6. In a thread clamp for a weft replenishing loom thread cutting mechanism having a carrier provided with amovable cutter blade, 2, primary clamp mounted on the carrier and having vertically spaced horizontal thread clamping surfaces between which extend avertical thread clamping surface, an auxiliary clamp pivotally mounted on the carrier and moving with the pivoted cutter blade and having vertically spaced horizontal thread clamping surfaces between which ,extend a substantially vertical thread clamping surface, means to mount the primary clamp on the carrier for pivotal movement, re-

silient means to hold the primary clamp in a given angular position with respect to the carfor the thread cutting rier, and operating means to move the auxiliary clamp and movable cutter blade in a direction to cut the thread and cause said horizontal surfaces of the' auxiliary clamp to force a thread extending .between said vertical surfaces against the 7. In a thread clamp for a weft replenishing;

loom thread cutting mechanism having a carrier provided with a pivoted cutter blade; a primary clamp mounted on the carrier and having vertically spaced thread clamping horizontal surfaces between which extend a vertical thread clamping surface, an auxiliary clamp pivotally mounted on the carrier and moving with the pivoted cutter blade and having vertically spaced horizontal thread clamping surfaces between which extend a substantially vertical thread clamping surface, means to mount the primary clamp on the carrier for pivotal movement, resilient means to hold the primary clamp in a given angular position with respect to the carrier, and operating means to move the auxiliary clamp and pivoted cutter in a direction to cut the thread and cause the horizontal surfaces of the auxiliary clampto force a thread extending between said vertical surfaces against the horizontal surfaces of the primary clamp and move the latter against the action of said resilient means away from said given position and cause the resilient means to cooperate with said operating means to exert a holding force on the thread between the horizontal surfaces of said clamp, said cutter blade and clamps having a common pivotal support on the carrier.

8. In a thread clamp for a weft replenishing loom thread cutter having a carrier provided with a stationary and a movable cutter blade, a primary clamp pivotally mounted on the carrier, an auxiliary clamp moving with the movable cutter blade in a given direction preparatory to a cuttingoperation and cooperating with the primary clamp to clamp a weft thread when moving in the opposite direction, means on the primary clamp extending transversely of the plane of movement of, the auxiliary clamp and over the auxiliary clamp for engagement with the latter and cooperating therewith to clamp the thread when the auxiliary clamp moves in said opposite direction, resilientmeans to hold the clamps against each other, and stop means onthe carrier to limit angular movement of the primary clamp in said given direction when the auxiliary clamp and movable cutter blade move in said given direction;

9. In a thread clamp for a Weft replenishing loom provided with a weft thread to be cut by a thread cutter having a carrier provided with a stationary cutter blade and a second cutter blade pivoted thereto, a primary clamp mounted on the "carrier for pivotal movement with respect thereto in a plane transverse of said thread, an auxiliary clamp pivotally mounted on the carrier and moving with the pivoted cutter blade substantially parallel to said plane, resilient means to force the primary clamp laterally against the'auxiliary clamp to assist said clamps to hold a thread, operating means to move the pivoted cutter and auxiliary clamp relatively to the carrier in a given direction preparatory to a thread cutting and clamping operation and there- ,after move said pivoted cutter and auxiliary clamp m theopposite direction to operate on the thread, a stop on the carrier to limit movement of the: primary clamp when the auxiliary clamp moves in said given direction, a second resilient means tending to hold said primary' clamp against said stop, and an element on said auxiliary clamp exerting a force on said primary clamp derivedfrom said operating means to move the primary clamp away from said stop and against the action of said second resilient means when the auxiliary clamp approaches the end of the movement thereof in said opposite direction caused by said operating means.

JOSEPH MILLER. 

